How quickly the years have gone by. It seems just yesterday when I finished my studies in the States and started teaching in the Fu Jen English Department. At that time, the Chair was Fr. Demers, and he arranged a full-schedule for me. I had these courses, if I remember correctly: European Literature, Senior English Composition, Undergraduate Research and Bibliography, and Research and Bibliography in the English Graduate Program. I still remember clearly many of the students from these courses. And, I probably still have some of the English compositions from the senior course filed away somewhere.

Now here it is many, many years later, and I'm ending my last semester of being a full-time teacher in the English Department. I will, nonetheless, continue to teach in the English Department, but my full-time position will be in the Fu Jen Graduate Institute of Comparative Literature.

During these years, I have seen many changes in the English Department, but what has remained the same is that each year we get an outstanding group of eager Freshmen. I have had the privilege year after year to see our Freshmen gradually mature into young women and men who then go out into the “world” and do great things. Some of our students become famous, others lead a more quiet and unnoticed life, and yet others encounter serious difficulties on this road we call “life.” Yet, I remain proud of all of our students, no matter where they have ended up; and I hope that their years in the Fu Jen English Department have not been forgotten.

A second aspect of our English Department that has not changed over the years is the quality of our teachers. Our English Department teachers are the hardest working group of people I have ever encountered. Year in and year out, they unselfishly devote their time and energy to the students of the English Department. Each June, the marvelous results are for all to see in the graduates we have.

What future is there for our English Department? I remain convinced that the future is promising and that our English Department will continue to be one of the best, if not the best, of the English Departments in Taiwan. To continue to be such a fine department, however, the help of our English Department Alumni is very necessary. Even though we have trained our students to be independent, please don't be so independent that you forget about our English Department.